Container rack



H. W. ODLOZIL CONTAINER RACK Oct. 13, 1959 Filed March 19, 1956 INVENTOR Henry W Od/ozi/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,908,396 CONTAINER RACK Henry W. Odlozil, Dallas, Tex. Application March 19, 1956, Serial No. 572,475 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-71) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in container racks.

One object of the invention is to provide ian improved rack of economical and durable construction and having minimum parts for rigidly suspending containers, such as garbage cans, from a fence or wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved container rack having hook means for engagement with the top of a fence or its top rail and means for bearing against the fence or one of its posts for supporting the rack in a substantially horizontal plane above the ground whereby access thereto may be had on either side of said fence.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container rack which is adapted to be formed of pipe, tubing or other suitable material and which has a triangular base portion for supporting one or more containers and a substantially U-shaped upper portion for preventing accidental displacement of the containers in coaction with the fence.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and byreference to the accompanying drawing, wherein examples of the invention are shown, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container rack constructed in accordance with the invention and mounted on a fence,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the mounted rack, showing the fence rail in section,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, showing the relationship of the rack and fence,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, perspective view of the bearing element of the rack,

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, of a modified bearing element, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, perspective view of a modified connection between the members of the rack.

In the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a container rack embodying the principles of the invention and adapted to be mounted on a fence 11. Although the fence is of the wire type having a tubular top rail 12 supported by posts 13, the rack is capable of being suspended from other types of fences or from the tops of walls (not shown). The rack is adapted to be formed of metal pipe, tubing or other suitable material capable of being bent and welded or otherwise assembled. As shown by the broken lines 14 in Figs. 1 and 3, the rack is adapted to support one and preferably two garbage cans or other containers for access thereto from either side of the fence 11.

The container rack includes a pair of complementary, upright, substantially C-shaped sections 15 having upper and lower substantially horizontal, parallel arms or members 16 and 17 connected in spaced relationship by an upright leg or member 18. A hook 19 is provided 2 ice on the outer end of each upper arm 16 for engagement over the top of the fence 11 or its top rail 12. Although subject to variation, it is most economical to form the hooks 19 by bending the ends of the upper arms downwardly at substantially a right angle (Figs. 1 and 2). The arms 16 extend in substantially parallel, spaced relationship at a right angle to the fence and its top rail, while the lower arms 17 extend diagonally inward from the lower ends of the legs 18 in converging relationship. It is noted that each section 15 is C-shaped in side elevation, as shown in Fig. 2, even though its upper and lower arms are not in vertical alinement.

For supporting the container rack in coaction with the hook 19, the lower, converging arms terminate in adjacent ends and are connected by a bearing element or saddle 20 which is adapted to engage one of the fence posts 13. Preferably, the bearing element is angular or V-shaped and is formed of angle bar which extends uprightly with its flanges 21 abutting and welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the arms 17, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. When the rack is adapted to support two containers, as shown, the lower arms extend at substantially a right angle to each other and the bearing element is substantially right-angular.

For connecting the C-shaped sections 15, suitable parallel members 22 and 23 extend transversely between and are welded or otherwise secured to the upper portions of the legs 18 and the intermediate portions of the arms 17, respectively. Preferably, the lower, transverse member 23 is disposed near the center of the rack and coacts with the lower arms to provide a substantially A-shaped or triangular frame or base portion 24 for supporting the containers 14 (Fig. 3). A substantially U-shaped frame or rectangular upper portion 25 is formed by the upper arms and the upper, transverse member 22, which is positioned a slight distance below said arms, and this frame is adapted to prevent accidental displacement of the containers in coaction with the fence.

It is pointed out that the legs 18 are of suflicient length to properly space the base and upper portions 24 and 25, whereby the containers are supported adjacent the top portion of the fence 11 with their upper portions projecting above the top rail 12. As a result, access may be had to the containers from either side of the fence so as to facilitate handling, filling and emptying thereof. In addition, the spacing between the base and upper portions of the rack is ample to prevent topping of the containers. Also, the bottom of the rack is spaced well above the ground so as to protect the containers from ground moisture, prevent damaging thereof and discourage access by scavenging animals.

As shown in Fig. 2, the relative lengths of the upper and lower arms 16 and 17 are such that the base portion 24 is supported in a substantially horizontal plane. Although not essential, the upper portion 25 is preferably substantially horizontal. It is noted that the relative lengths of the arms may be varied in accordance with the construction of the fence and that the base portion of the rack may bear against a portion of the fence other than one of the posts 13. Due to its simplicity of construction, the rack is economical to manufacture without sacrificing its durability and may be readily shipped, installed and moved from one location or fence to another.

As shown in Fig. 5, a modified bearing element or saddle 26 may be used in place of the welded bearing element 20. Preferably, the modified bearing element has right angular flanges 27 with cylindrical pins or studs 28 projecting from the flanges and welded or otherwise secured thereto. The pins 28 are adapted to be driven or otherwise forced into the open ends of lower, converging arms or members 29 which are similar to the arms 17. Instead of welding the transverse members to the members of the C-shaped sections, said members may be detachably connected. As shown by the numeral 30 in Fig. 6, each end of a transverse member 31 may be flattened for connection with a circular clamp 32. A suitable bolt and nut 33 fasten the ends of the clamp to the flattened end 30 of the member 31 and said clamp is adapted to encircle a portion of the adjacent member of one of the C-shaped sections, such as its lower arm 29. By employing the modified bearing element 26 and the clamps 32, the C-shaped sections may be separated for shipping and storage. It is noted, however, that the construction of the welded rack permits nesting of a number of the same for such purposes.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container rack adapted to be detachably mounted on a fence having a top rail and posts including a pair of upright substantially C-shaped sections havin upper and lower arms, hooks at the ends of the upper arms for engagement over the top rail of the fence, the lower arms converging in angular relation to said upper arms and terminating in adjacent ends, a bearing element connecting and supported by the adjacent ends of said lower arms for engagement with a post of the fence when the hooks are engaged over the top rail, a lower member extending transversely between and connecting the intermediate portions of said lower arms and coa'cting therewith to form a substantially A-shaped base for supporting a pair of containers, and an upper member extending transversely between and connecting the sections adjacent the inner ends of said upper arms and coacting with said upper arms to form a substantially U-shaped upper frame for confining the containers supported by the base.

2. A container rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lower member and arms of the base are substantially horizontal.

3. A container rack as set forth in claim 1 wherein each substantially C-shaped section includes an upright leg connecting the inner ends of its upper and lower arms, the upper member of the frame extending between the upper end portions of the legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

